Quarrymans Arms, Box Hill, Corsham

Lovely place at the top of hill; the walk here from Box is steep, but enjoyable. Traditional interior which has been modernised but fairly tastefully and feels homely. Three rooms, and the diners get a bucolic view over the Bybrook valley. Us topers make do with the bar which has wood floorboards, wood beams third length wood panelling and padded bench seating. Three Butcombe cask, my Rare Breed was in good nick (NBSS 3.5) so justifying its place in the 2023 GBG. Service is a bit corporate but otherwise, worth seeking out. 7.5

A well regarded pub that has been on my radar for some time, this is located somewhat off the beaten track and can’t get much in the way of passing trade, but it is nonetheless only a couple of minutes drive from the main A4 and is well worth making the effort to track down. Given it’s location, it was surprisingly busy on our Saturday afternoon visit, with several large groups enjoying the food, although this is by no means a gastro-pub. Internally it consists of two rooms, although the one to the right is quite small. The main bar is an L-shaped room with cosy and traditional feel and a free standing brick chimney breast dividing it in to two sections. A large picture window at the rear makes the most of the lovely views across the valley, whilst the flooring is predominantly red patterned carpet with some wood strip around the bar counter. The walls were painted a pale yellow colour with wood panelling on the lower part, and these were adorned with a large selection of farming implements such as saws and pick axes. There was also a collection of old blowlamps up on a small shelf, and the old wooden beams were liberally plastered with beer mats hinting at an ever changing selection. A TV was mounted on the wall at one end, but fortunately this was not in use on our visit. Beers on tap were a trio from Butcombe with their Original rare Bread and Black Beard Stout, and these were joined by Ossett Silver King and Oakham Deep Thought. Ciders were well represented with Ashton Press, Thatcher’s Haze and Cheddar Valley. All in all, a great pub in a lovely spot. Well worth a visit.